Strip feeding device



Sept. 1957 J. T. DAVIDSON ETAL 2,807,346

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN T: DAVIDSON By FORREST A, BRIGGS p 1957 J- T. DAVIDSON, ETAL 9 STRIPVFEEDING ozvzcs' Filed Sept. 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

JOHN T. DAVIDSON FORREST A. BRIGGS im mw ATTORNEY United States Patentofiice This invention relates to writing machines such as typewriters, tabulators, addresso'graphs 'and'tlie like, utilizing a rotary platen-over which a paper :web is fed to' receive thereon indici'a along a constant 'writingli'ne. M'or'e particularly the invention is concerned with' p'in type feeding "devices eng'ageable with perforations in the paper web for "positiveadvancement thereof over the platen.

The instant invention finds especial, although not limited, utility in machines using or requiring odd' size platehs, it being the object of the invention to simplify the-construction as well "as the means and modeofoperation of strip feeding devices, whereby such devices may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efiicient'and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide range 'o'f applications, while having relatively 'few parts, and be unlikely to get out of repair. 3

A furtherobject of the invention is to enable a pin wheel feeding unit of standard diameter to be used With a different'dia'meter platen.

Another object 'of the invention is to mount a pin wheel feeding device of one diameter and a platen of different diameter in side by side offset relation, with peripheral .portions'of the platen and pin Wheel aligned in a common substantially linear plane at the Writing iine.

A n other object'of the invention is to provide for rotating of different diameter platen and pin wheel assemblies about different centers at the same peripheralspeed.

A further object of the invention is to provide for adjustment of the feeding device to feeding and non-feeding positions by varying the circumferential area of projection of the feeding pins.

Still another object 'of. the invention is to introduce 'a principle of offset mounting of the pin wheel feeding d'evices-,-'permittin'g standard sized pin wheels to be used with any size platen.

A further "object "of the invention is'to' provide a strip feeding device possessing the advantageous structural fe'atrims, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in .view aswill more fully appear in the specification, the

invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent con- "sists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, as hereinafter described 01' illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referrin'g 't'o the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one, but bbviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, I

' Pig. l is-a viewinperspectiveof a platen assembly, in

aceordanc-e with an illustrated for-mof the invention;

Patented Sept. 24, 1957 2 Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but at a reduced scale, and in front elevation; V p Fig. 6 is a view in cross section, taken substantially "along the line 66 of Fig. 2; V v V Fig. 7 is a view in cross section, taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Fig. 2, and showing the feeding pins control set to feeding position; and W 1 Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. 7, showing the feeding pins control "set to non-feeding positions.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference "throughout the several views. p Referring to the drawings, a platen assembly in accord- 'anbe with the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes relativelystationary side frames 10and llwher'eby the assembly is suitably installed in a typewiiting or likemachine. A platen drive shaft 12 'er tends'trans'verse- -ly between'the fran1es10and 11, being rotatably supported in "hea ing hil' s 13 (one shown) stationarily'iiiouiited in-fh side frain'es. g I

The shaft 12 extendsthrough and beyond the frame 10, and, outside such name, carries a transverse pin 14 by which it may be rotated. A ratchet 1'5 and detentirrg arm 16 cooperate incontrollin'g movement of the shaft 12. Beydnd the inne'ror right hand end of thebe'aring 13, as "seen in Fig. 2, the shaft 12 extends axially into a'disclike drive plate 17 and is oper'atively connected thereto. There inay be aplurality of the drive plates 1'7 and secured "to the periphery thereof is a sleeve assembly 18 overlaid with a rubber or rubber-like covering 19 At each end of the platen unit so defined, the drive plate 17 is recessed to accommodate an internal ring gear '21 having stationary fit inthe platen. The platen parts 17,18, 19

and 21 thus are mounted on the shaft 12'and rotate with vice comprises an external gear 22received 'inthe internal gear 21 and made fast on the hub 23 of a pinwheel body 24. The body 24 has a peripheral flange portion which a'series of feeding pins 25 is radially 'reciprocable. Near their inner ends the pins 25 have transverse slots receiving a cam edge 26 on a control disc 27. The disc 27 has a flange 28 in which is a pair of'spaced apart notches 29 and 31. A spring pressed plunger 32 in theiside frame is yieldingly engageable with the notches 29 and 31 to hold thedisc 27 in a selected position of adjustment relatively to the pin wheel body 24. I

The body '24 is rotatably mounted on the bearing member 13. Similarly the disc 27 is rotatably mounted on a "bushing 33 on member 13, and a lock nut 34 holds. the

several elements of the pin wheel feeding device inassembled relation and operatively associated with the platen unit. The gear 22, body 24, and disc 27 are in concentric relation to one another, but in eccentric relation to the platen unit by virtue o'f an otf center mountingfof the drive shaft 12 in the bearings 13. Moreover, the diameter of the pin wheel body 24 is less than the diameter of the platen covering 19. g

Thus rotation of shaft 12, platen unitj19 and internal gear 21 causes, through gear 22, a rotation of the body 24 relative to control disc 27. The result of suchrelat'ive motion is to effect a progressive extending and retracting of the feeding pins '25 in accompaniment with rotation of the pin wheel body. Although the' gears 21 and 22 are radially offset, portions thereof are continuously engaged with one another in an arrangement providing for rotation of the pin wheel body at the same peripheral speed as the platen.v

The arrangement as regards the mounting of the shaft 12 in bearings 13, and the relative diameters of the platen and pin wheel is such as to bring peripheral portions of the platen and pin wheel body into alignment with one another in a common substantially linear plane. Such plane is predetermined, in the construction and assembly of the writing machine, to coincide with the writing line, that is the line of the platen struck by the type, bars or other imprinting means. Further, the alternative positionsof the disc 27 are so predetermined that in one such position the feeding pins are extended as they pass through the writing line, and in the other position the feeding pins are extended a circumferential distance from the writing line.

The feeding devices cooperate with marginally perforated paper 35 and it will be understood that the described positions of the disc 27 respectively represent feeding and non-feeding positions. In the position shown in Fig. 7, the cam edge 26 is set to project the pins 25 within the area of the writing line. Hence, the pins may enter the perforations in the web of paper 35 and advance it in accompaniment with rotation of the platen. If, however, the disc 27 is adjusted to its other position,

through manipulation of a finger piece 36, the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 8 wherein the area of projection of the feeding pins 25 has been shifted to a point below the writing line. Hence rotation of the pin wheelfeeding device is, in this position of the parts, without effect on the paper, 35. a

When the pin wheel feeding devices are set to nonfeeding position, an alternative, friction form of feed may be enabled by lowering rolls 37 into contact with the surface of the platen. The rolls 37 are on a shaft 38, supported between the frames 10 and 11, and are controlled ,(in a manner not fully shown herein) by a lever 39.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a strip feeding device, a relatively stationary frame, a rotary platen, a drive shaft for said platen axially disposed with respect thereto, a bearing for said shaft fixed relatively to said frame and in surrounding eccentric relation to said shaft, a rotary pin wheel feeding device rotatably mounted on said bearing and having radially reciprocable feeding pins, said device being of a diameter different from the diameter of said platen and said shaft and said bearing being so arranged as to align peripheral portions of said platen and feeding device in a common plane, means for effecting progressive extending and retracting motions of said feeding pins, said means including a disc rotatable on said bearing to a feeding position in which said pins are extended as they pass through said common plane and to a non-feeding position in which said feeding pins are retracted as they pass through said common plane, detent means on said frame holding said last named means in selected positions of adjustment, and a driving connection from said platen to said feeding device rotating said device at the same peripheral speed as said platen.

2. A strip feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that said last named means comprises radially offset meshing gears within said platen and feeding device.

3. In a strip feeding device, relatively stationary side frames, a platen shaft supported between said side frames, a round platen concentrically mounted on said shaft, a bearing interposed between at least one end of said platen and an adjoining frame, said bearing being stationarily mounted on said frame and being in surrounding eccentric relation to said shaft, a pin wheel body of smaller diameter than said platen rotatably mounted on said bearing in side by side adjacent relation to said one end of the platen, said bearing serving to align substantially linear portions of the surfaces of said platen and said pin wheel body, radially reciprocable feeding pins carried by said pin wheel body, a disc rotatably mounted on said bearing between said pin wheel body and said adjoining frame, said disc having a cam portion interengaged with said feeding pins and forming a guide for reciprocation thereof, a releasable connection between said disc and said frame holding said disc normally stationary, a concentric ring gear recessed in said one end of the platen, and a spur gear of smaller diameter than said ring gear concentrically mounted on said pin wheel body and extending into said recess, said spur gear having limited meshing engagement with said ring gear.

4. A strip feeding device according to claim 3, wherein said spur gear, said pin wheel body and said disc comprise a unitary assembly rotatably mounted on said hearing in substantially abutting relation to said one end of the platen, characterized by a lock nut screwed on to said body and retaining said parts in assembled relation with respect to one another and to said platen.

5. In a strip feeding device, relatively stationary side frames, a platen shaft supported between said side frames, a round platen concentrically mounted on said shaft, a bearing interposed between at least one end of said platen and an adjoining frame, said bearing being stationarily mounted on said frame and being in surrounding eccentric relation to said shaft, a pin wheel body of smaller diameter than said platen rotatably mounted on said bearing in side by side adjacent relation to said one end of the platen, said bearing serving to align substantially linear portions of the surfaces of said platen and said pin wheel body, radially reciprocable feeding pins carried by said pinwheel body, a disc rotatably mounted on said hearing between said pinwheel body and said adjoining frame, said disc having a cam portion interengaged with said feeding pins and forming a guide for reciprocation thereof in response to rotation of the body relatively to said disc, detent means inhibiting rotation of said disc on said bearing, including a pair of circumferentially spaced apart notches in said disc and a spring pressed plunger on said frame engageable with said notches, and a finger piece on said disc extending radially outwardly of the feeding device for manipulation by the operator to rotate said disc for selected engagement of said notches with said plunger, a concentric ring gear recessed in said one end of the platen, and a spur gear of smaller diameter than said ring gear concentrically mounted on said pin wheel body and extending into said recess, said spur gear having limited meshing engagement with said ring gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

